Why was Internet access used as the indicator of low-income family status? Will it be used in the future?
Internet access at home was used as a proxy for low-income status because it is the only available data collected with the MEA. Maines early NCLB accountability plans made the argument that since no reliable income data are available, Maine should not have to include this sub-group in our AYP calculations this year. However, Maine was not given a waiver on this request. In the future, Maine DOE will attempt to use free and reduced lunch data, perhaps obtained through MEDMS, to reliably determine low-income status. In the meantime, Maine DOE will request data files from Measured Progress on individual student responses to the Internet Access question to provide to districts where school or district AYP status was determined by this sub-group alone.
